In That Instant
by FunnelcakeIceblue
Summary: Hallow's mind is complex. Her thoughts are organized in such a way that nobody understands but her. She speaks in hints, not exactly telling all, but leaving you to try and figure out her meaning. Surely a Halloween Cat wears masks, but is it one you expect? Bunnymund didn't expect it, but now that he knows, he feels empty. After all, there's nothing he can do.


"You know, I don't want to be insane anymore."

Bunnymund looked up to see the black cat curled against the tall strands of grass next to him. For once he had let her into his warren, he had hoped for a quiet evening, he didn't expect it to be silent, let alone deep.

"Why not?" The Australian asked.

"That's only one side of me, Bunny," she twirled a blade of grass around her bandaged-fingers. They weren't injured, just a fashion statement in the eyes of the creative and edgy. Although Bunny wore guards, he loved the feeling of his fur free to the wind, not tied down.

"One side, eh?" Her ears pricked at his accent.

"Do you really think I'm completely insane? Yes, I am, but that's not what I'm saying. I just think that this is a way to cope with things," she sat up straight and watched the river. Swirls of green and orange mixed into a lovely shade of brown.

"Cope with your demons?"

"Exactly. You know, Bunny, I wasn't always this way."

Bunny looked at her. He had no idea what she was like before she became who she is now. He could guess a couple of situations, but for some reason they seem too expected. He imagines that she was extroverted with boundless energy and a will to scare and to make everyone's life misery. Or maybe that's just now and only to him.

"Would you ever believe that I might be afraid of ghosts?" she asked him. Her blue eyes darted to his and held there. For awhile they stared. It was a little bit creepy, but he got used to it after all these years of working with her. Yet, when he took in her eyes he thought of her question. It's preposterous! A Halloween cat afraid of the very things she commands. She walked in confidence, her mouth poised in an evil smirk.

But even so, the more he wondered, the more it made sense.

While he was trying to figure her out, her features became less intense. He soon forgot about who he was looking at. She started to seem almost normal, or as normal as she would get. She appeared peaceful in this paradise of spring and he could admit; it was a face of long ago, before big changes happened. The hard angles and piercing eyes changed to what might have once been her from a past life.

She looked truly soft, very unlike herself, in that one instant, sitting in the green meadow of Bunnymund's Warren.

"Ha-ha, I got you staring! You walked right into that!" she laughed to the open air and his eggs scattered in fright of her voice.

Bunnymund wanted to be angrier that he fell for it. He wanted to yell at her but instead settled on an annoyed look. She snickered, spread out on the ground again and rested as the wind gently wove it's fingers into her fur. He looked away from her and across the river.

She wasn't joking, he knew that. Her personality is split. Similar to a costume, her insanity is for everyone to see; hiding what's underneath. He knew the hidden part of her showed itself today, which in no doubt, is rare. Is the softer side dictated by her insanity? Is she staying insane to have fake confidence and to keep back her fear of her very ghosts? Is she just a scared little girl on the inside, trapped? Does she want to be free?

He felt bad for her suddenly. She couldn't help how she is. She can't even let the softer side out at home, the ghosts would scare her. This conversation, this visit, was it just a cry for help? The thought sickened him. He didn't know how to help and what would change if he did help her. Maybe she was stuck like this, stuck in a place she will always fear.

For that one instant she was herself. She was who she used to be. Bunny only got a glimpse of it.

He knew she didn't want to be insane anymore, but free. The truth is, there's no way to help her.

* * *

**Just something that went through my mind at 2 am. Thought it was pretty good and it has the opportunity to become a little side story. I guess you could say this is just something to think about when Hallow is brought up.**


End file.
